August 5, 2023 Introductory Note: This post takes a long time to say very little. The main thing of interest is that there was a guy named Andrews with a business address of 73 Plymouth Place (same basic address of McKinney, the putative printer of The Expert at the Card Table). This was so, at about the time the book was printed.
We know that James McKinney’s company had the address of 73 Plymouth Place, Chicago, when they printed The Expert at the Card Table in (presumably) early 1902. Apparently they continued at that address until at least (I gather) early 1903, or so, according to information quoted by Bill Mullins on the Genii Forum (page 8).
Based on a certain amount of research on Google, I have concluded to a fair degree of certainty that the addresses on (at least) that stretch of Plymouth Place were also the same (probably generally later) addresses on Plymouth Court. I looked at an early map that showed Plymouth Place, and not Plymouth Court, so I suspect that the name of the street changed to Plymouth Court (at least on that stretch). (But that was not really part of the research from which I made the conclusion stated in the first sentence of this paragraph.)
Also, that area was apparently home to a lot of printers. Moreover, in The Inland Printer, October 1909, reference is made to a printer (not McKinney) using “five floors at 73 Plymouth place.” (I expect to talk about that further in a future post.) I suspect it was also a multi-story facility in 1902 as well.
In a book called Directory of Directors in the City of Chicago, published by the Audit Company of New York, New York Life Building, Chicago, 1902, is found a list of “directors and trustees,” and other business information. (The book is easily findable on Google Books.) The preface (called “Announcement”) is dated “New York Life Building, Chicago, April 1, 1902.”
One of the listings reads as follows:
ANDREWS, HOWARD M., 73 Plymouth Court
Jordon Show Printing and Lithographing Co., The, President, Treasurer and Director
But, I mean, Andrews is a common name.
Pretty common, anyway.
I guess.
Besides, this Howard M. Andrews was quite possibly on another floor — and his connection with “show” business was probably just a coincidence.
So, I don’t suppose Howard M. Andrews could have had a nephew or some other relative with the name E.S. Andrews.
Still . . . nah, it couldn’t be.
But then again . . .
—Tom Sawyer
P.S. I’m not sure how “Jordon” is spelled. It is spelled “Jordon” in the above-mentioned directory. (I originally had it Jordan, but I have now changed it.) I think the proper spelling is “Jordan” (see The Inland Printer, January 1906).—T.A.S. 9-7-11
Reposted August 5, 2023
The Armchair Bibliographer 